Sweet Pongal / Temple-style Sakkarai Pongal (Instant Pot)

Name: Sweet Pongal / Temple-style Sakkarai Pongal (Instant Pot)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: ½ cup rice; ½ cup moong dal ((yellow lentils)); ¾-1 cup jaggery; 1 cup milk; ¼ cup ghee ((use store-bought or homemade ghee)); ¼ cup cashew; 2 tbsp raisins; 2 cloves; ½ teaspoon cardamom powder; ¼ cup desiccated coconut; 3 cups water

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5 from 58 votes

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Sweet Pongal is a refined-sugar-free dessert made using rice, moong dal, and jaggery as the main ingredients. This South Indian dish, as well as Ven Pongal, is an integral part of festivals like Makara Sankranti (harvest festival) and Navratri. Make authentic temple-style sakkarai Pongal in the Instant Pot with this easy recipe.

Two bowls of sweet pongal placed on a black and silver surface.

Why you will love this recipe

This traditional recipe is quick and easy to make. Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can have Sweet Pongal on the table in under 30 minutes. This makes it a perfect dish for busy weeknights or last-minute entertaining.
Chakkara pongal is packed with flavor. Sweet Pongal is a delicious and satisfying dessert made with rice, moong dal, jaggery, ghee, and nuts.
It is authentic. This recipe gives you the traditional South Indian temple-style sakkarai pongal.

Ingredients

Rice: I make this dish with sona masuri rice; however, any variety of short-grain rice works well with this dish.

Moong dal: Moong dal (mung dal) or yellow lentils are used here (similar to Khara Pongal).

Jaggery: This refined sugar-free dessert is made with jaggery. However, if jaggery is not available, you may replace it with raw sugar.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Heat one tablespoon of ghee and fry cashews. Once it begins to turn golden brown, add the raisins. Fry for a few seconds until they begin to plump. Set them aside (image 1).

Step 2: Next, add half a cup of moong dal to the pot. Saute the yellow moong dal for one minute (image 2). Add the rice, cloves, and milk (images 3 and 4).

Step 3: Add 2 cups of water, mix well, and deglaze the pot (image 5). Set the Instant Pot in pressure cook mode for 10 minutes on high pressure. Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release (images 6 and 7).

Step 4: Open the lid and set the Instant Pot pressure cooker to saute mode. Lightly mash the cooked dal-rice (image 8).

Step 5: Add the jaggery, coconut, one cup of water, and the remaining ghee to the cooked rice and dal mixture. Mix well and let it be in saute mode (low) for 5 minutes (images 9 and 10).

Step 6: Add the green cardamom powder, fried nuts, and raisins. Mix well and serve hot (images 11 and 12).

Expert Tips

After pressure cooking the dal and rice, add more water and adjust the consistency as per your preference. You can either keep it dry or make it slightly runny (which I prefer).

This dish tastes best when made with jaggery. However, if jaggery is not available, you may replace it with raw sugar or brown sugar.

Sweet Pongal served in South Indian temples has a small amount of edible camphor added to it. You may add a small pinch of edible camphor as well as nutmeg powder.

Use milk to make a richer-tasting Pongal. However, you may replace it with water or plant-based milk for a vegan version. I use a 1:1 rice-to-dal ratio. You may adjust it as per your preference.

I used sona masoori rice in this recipe, which is a short-grain Indian variety of rice. However, any Indian variety of rice will work for this dish.

Recipe FAQs

How to store Pongal?

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Add a small amount of water before reheating to adjust the consistency, and reheat it over low-medium heat in a saucepan.

Is this dish vegan?

No, it is not vegan, as it uses milk and ghee. You may replace them with plant-based milk and vegan butter to make vegan Pongal, although the taste may differ.

More Indian desserts

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